Consider a person whose depression and anxiety are apparent the minute you meet him. Is there any way he can lose his case for disability benefits?
The answer may surprise you.
No matter how clear the symptoms of mental illness are to a person himself or to family and friends, that’s not going to be enough.
He must have medical evidence of his mental illness.
That means that an expert (for Social Security, only a person with a medical degree, osteopathic degree or a doctorate in clinical psychology qualifies) must have diagnosed the illness.
It means that the person must have been in treatment so that the expert’s chart notes reflect the extent that their mental illness limits them.
And it means that if their treating doctor says they should try medication, they need to take medication.
When isn’t depression and anxiety enough for disability benefits? More often than folks realize.
Author: Cheryl Coon